The Absolute Favorite in the Apocalyptic Rebirth

“Hello.”

The newcomer greeted her with a smile, displaying impeccable manners. If his gaze hadn't been so intensely fixed on her, Lou Ling might have considered him a perfect gentleman, harboring no grudges.

This thought brought back the memory of that night three years ago. Had Lou Dian's kicks truly caused no lasting harm?

Suppressing the urge to lower her gaze, Lou Ling politely returned the smile, raising an eyebrow. “Hello.” Adhering to the principle of treating someone with whom she had a history as a stranger, she kept her words to a minimum.

Feng Shaohuang's eyes dimmed slightly. Because he knew her so well, he understood how forced the polite smile on her face was. She hadn't been like this before. She had been sincere to her companions, her smile bright and sunny. She did what she believed was right, never crossing her own boundaries. Except for those with twisted hearts, it was hard to dislike a girl like her.

Perhaps he had never imagined that one day, face to face, he would see her smile at him with such polite detachment, making him realize once again what he had lost.

Lou Ling frowned. Did he enjoy standing in front of someone's door, lost in thought? She felt a flicker of impatience, but since she was currently on someone else's territory, and it was broad daylight, it wasn't appropriate to show her annoyance. "Mr. Feng," she said, "if there's nothing else, I'll be closing the door." His presence had even made her lose interest in going out.

One hand resting on the doorframe, Feng Shaohuang showed no embarrassment. His gaze remained fixed on her face. “I apologize for the disturbance," he smiled. "Is Lou Dian in?”

“No.”

He naturally knew Lou Dian wasn't in, otherwise he wouldn't be here. He smiled again. “Are you going out? Lou Dian and I are old friends. If you don't mind, I can show you around the base. Is there anywhere you'd like to see?”

He was confident that the current capital base, compared to the past, was completely new and would definitely attract her. He had always known her aspirations, her dreams. He wanted to build an absolutely safe base fortress for her, and he also wanted the apocalypse to end quickly and restore the previous order, so that a more radiant smile would grace her face. He wanted her to live in the base he built with his own hands, realizing her dreams…

Lou Ling's face twitched. An extremely handsome man was extending an invitation to her. This handsome man had money, power, and ability; he was clearly a winner in life, even a single strand of his hair exuding charm. It was a visual temptation.

However, she understood the complex adversarial relationship between him and Lou Dian. She had even fought with him once and had already categorized him as someone to avoid. Therefore, Lou Ling politely and tactfully declined, then attempted to close the door, out of sight, out of mind.

Noticing her intention, Feng Shaohuang's eyes darkened. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly shifted to the side, one hand gripping the hard stone wall, his body leaping up, consecutively dodging several invisible and silent spatial blade attacks.

When Feng Shaohuang landed back in place, he saw a man approaching leisurely from his left. Dressed in black clothes that seemed to absorb all light, his face was backlit, but his eyes were like those of an awakened beast, icy cold and filled with a profound killing intent, startling him.

He knew he had missed another opportunity, and it filled him with regret.

When Feng Shaohuang had moved, Lou Ling had quickly retreated behind the door. After the attack ended, she peeked out and, seeing Lou Dian had returned, immediately waved to him, smiling. “Brother, you're back!”

The two men, who had been in a subtle standoff, simultaneously turned their gaze towards her. Seeing the smile on her face, a smile that wasn't politely distant, their expressions changed. One filled with tenderness, the other speechless and downcast.

Lou Dian walked over, placing his hand on her shoulder. His expression was unreadable. “Major Feng, is there something you need?”

Lou Ling mentally noted the title "Major Feng."

“Yes, I came to find you. I wanted to discuss the matter of the Zombie King.” Feng Shaohuang smoothly replied.

“No need. I haven't seen it, so there's nothing to discuss.” Lou Dian bluntly refused.

Unsurprised by his rejection, Feng Shaohuang didn't press the issue. “You’ve worked hard this time. The departure time has been set for the day after tomorrow. Get some good rest.” With that, he glanced at Lou Ling once more, then left with an equally impassive expression.

Lou Dian slammed the villa door shut and ushered a reluctant Lou Ling back to her room. As they passed through the villa's main hall, several ability users who hadn't gone out greeted them, seemingly oblivious to anything unusual. After their greetings, they turned away, pretending not to notice Lou Ling's stiff expression.

Back in the room, Lou Ling struggled slightly, escaping the range of his aura. Then, with an almost unconscious attempt to appease him, she poured him a glass of water and offered it to him, making small talk. “Where did you go just now? I didn't see you, so I was planning to go out and look for you. I didn't expect to run into Mr. Feng at the door.” She deliberately emphasized "run into."

Lou Dian drained the glass in one gulp and beckoned her. “Why are you standing so far away? Come here!”

Because you're currently radiating a sinister black aura, and I'm afraid to get close!

She screamed internally, but ultimately shuffled over. He grabbed her, pushed her onto the bed, pulled open her clothes, and began to nip and bite at her skin, sending shivers down her spine. Even though they had already done it, doing it in broad daylight still filled her with shame.

After an unknown amount of time, he propped himself up on his hands, looking down at her.

Lou Ling felt exasperated. Please don't look at me with that predatory gaze! Don't you usually prefer to feign gentleness? I'd rather you keep up the pretense, concealing the darkness and distortion hidden beneath that gentle facade. Just give me some comfort!

Perhaps her feelings were too obvious, because the man chuckled, rolled her over on the bed, and shifted her so she was lying on top of him. They embraced quietly in the setting sun.

“Stay away from him in the future!”

“Of course, absolutely!” Lou Ling replied sincerely. “I'm also worried he still resents me for hitting him that night and is afraid he'll retaliate.”

Lou Dian gave a noncommittal hum, lowering his head to gently kiss her face.

She smiled in response, relieved to feel his aura calm down.

Seeing that confident man become insecure because of Feng Shaohuang's appearance made her uncomfortable. She didn't know why he cared so much about Feng Shaohuang, as if there was something between them. She felt extremely insecure, as if something she had finally obtained might be snatched away. His intense gaze left her speechless and helpless, and she could only try her best to avoid Feng Shaohuang, even going so far as to try to make him feel more secure.

Patting his shoulder, Lou Ling pondered.

Feng Shaohuang and Lou Dian… These two men clearly had an unspoken understanding about many things, a tacit understanding that didn't seem like something that could be cultivated in peacetime. Could it be…?

Thinking of a certain possibility, Lou Ling quickly shook her head, telling herself she must have read too many novels and been influenced by them.

Lou Dian, seeing her suspicious expression, pinched her cheek and said nothing.

Perhaps he had felt the urge to tell her several times, but in the end, he always gave up. She was fine like this. Those sad and painful things had ended with her death in the previous life. There was no need to burden her with them.

The departure time arrived quickly.

To Lou Ling's surprise, the original group of about one hundred people had been cut in half. Only about fifty people were departing, all of them ability users with rich combat experience, regardless of their ability level. The two Level 6 ability users from the capital base, whose levels had been artificially boosted by crystals and potions, were left behind.

Ten military jeeps set off at dawn, stopping to rest in the evening. The journey, led by Feng Shaohuang, was expected to take three days.

“Xiao Ling, did Dianxia say where our destination is?” Lin Bao lowered her voice and asked.

“No.”

Lin Bao narrowed her eyes in thought. “I heard that the Level 7 zombie, apart from its blood-red eyes, looks no different from a human. So, to avoid leaking information, they decided to keep the destination secret and set off quietly.”

Lou Ling hummed in agreement. Lin Bao always had a knack for gathering information.

“Hey, I still don't quite trust that Major Feng,” Lin Bao continued. “He was chosen as the captain this time because it's rumored he has the highest ability level. But I think Dianxia is stronger than him.”

Lou Ling silently agreed. It wasn't just bias towards her man; it was the truth.

As the two were whispering, the jeep suddenly jolted, and they grabbed onto each other, nearly hitting their heads on the window. They initially thought they had hit a rock or that the road was rough, but the next moment, there was a violent collision followed by an explosion.

“Zombie attack! Get out!”

Feng Shaohuang's voice came through the communicator. The jeep immediately stopped, and everyone quickly opened the doors and got out, launching their various abilities at the approaching zombies.

As Lou Ling emerged, she was met with a blast of intense flames. A wall of water rose, blocking the flames. The water and fire collided, hissing.

About a hundred zombies appeared around them, all Level 5 or above, with at least ten Level 6 zombies among them. It seemed they had received a warm welcome from the zombies as soon as they arrived. Perhaps it was the first time seeing so many high-level zombies, because some of the ability users gasped, momentarily frozen. Fortunately, those beside them reacted quickly; otherwise, some would have been injured right from the start.

“What are you doing? Damn it, do you want to die?” Feng Shaohuang's wind blades swept out, rescuing several ability users who hadn't reacted in time. His face was grim. Although he knew these people weren't the most experienced fighters, they were still better than those left behind at the capital base. He hadn't expected them to falter at a crucial moment simply because the enemy was too powerful. It still angered him.

Fortunately, after their initial hesitation and upon hearing Feng Shaohuang's scolding, they snapped back to their senses and joined the fight.

Lou Ling flicked out a mutated vine seed, and the silver wooden stick in her hand rapidly extended, sweeping out sideways and knocking away a zombie that was lunging at Lin Bao. Lin Bao was simultaneously defending and seizing the opportunity to attack. Her seemingly gentle water bullets were actually highly compressed, capable of piercing through the heads of Level 3 or 4 zombies. Their combined power was considerable, and working together, the two women's fighting strength was no less than that of the men.

Their performance spurred on the other ability users, who cast aside their fear and fought with all their might.

Feng Shaohuang was facing several Level 6 zombies alone. Lou Dian, although staying by Lou Ling's side, moved with incredible speed, consecutively killing several Level 6 zombies. The ease with which he did so raised suspicions.

With Feng Shaohuang and Lou Dian handling the Level 6 zombies, the others were easier to deal with. Within half an hour, all one hundred zombies were killed, and their crystal cores were collected to replenish their abilities.

Feng Shaohuang glanced around. Although nearly ten people were injured, none had died, which was a small comfort. However, being ambushed and suffering casualties before even entering zombie territory still displeased him. After the injured had taken the antidote and the light ability users had healed their external injuries, Feng Shaohuang glanced at Lou Dian and ordered them to move out.

They continued on foot, not by vehicle. Except for two jeeps that had been damaged in the attack, the others were stored by the space ability user.

Lou Ling observed their surroundings. She had been studying the terrain along the way and noticed they were heading towards the central inland region. Now, they had arrived at the edge of a forest. Although there was still a road, it wasn't easy to traverse, making it best to proceed on foot. Feng Shaohuang continued to lead the way, flanked by his two subordinates, Liu Ji and Li Chuan, who vigilantly scanned their surroundings.

Three hours later, they emerged from the forest onto a barren plain overgrown with weeds. On the other side of the plain, a cluster of buildings stood silently, exuding an invisible pressure.

Everyone stared, a mixture of shock and confusion in their eyes. This place didn't look like a city; it seemed like a special base. Could the Zombie King be in such a place? Previously, everyone had assumed that zombies evolved by consuming the crystal cores of their own kind, and that the Zombie King would naturally arise in densely populated cities. They hadn't expected it to be in such a remote location.

“This is… a special base of the National Security Bureau,” Feng Shaohuang's voice came softly, answering their unspoken question.

Everyone fell silent, not asking any further questions.

The weeds were over a person's height, perhaps even two meters tall. Except for a few ability users over 1.9 meters tall, everyone else was submerged in the sea of weeds. Lou Ling and Lin Bao were completely hidden, which made them smile wryly. However, the weeds also provided cover, and with the mental ability user masking their presence, as long as they advanced carefully, they wouldn't attract the attention of the zombies, avoiding a lot of trouble.

“We must get inside before dark,” Feng Shaohuang said.

As the team leader, his words were absolute. Everyone remained silent.

The group advanced silently through the weeds, their progress incredibly slow due to the mutated animals that occasionally sprang out. To their astonishment, a mutated python about 150 meters long slowly slithered past them. Thanks to the mental shielding, it didn't detect their presence, but it lingered nearby for a long time.

With their current strength, they could certainly handle such a mutated python, but it would take time, and engaging it would alert the zombies in the distance. The mutated animals here were an eye-opener, terrifyingly powerful. The peaceful coexistence, or perhaps mutual exploitation, between the zombies and mutated beasts made everyone aware of the difficulty of their mission. The Zombie King's intelligence was not to be underestimated.

Only after the mutated python left did Feng Shaohuang say, "Let's go."

It was already dusk when the tired and thirsty group finally reached the buildings. As they drew closer, a vast mental net suddenly descended from above, completely concealing any lingering traces of their presence. The zombies wandering outside the base didn't even notice them.

Everyone was shocked once more. Suddenly, Feng Shaohuang turned sharply, staring intently in one direction. Everyone followed his gaze and saw Lou Dian, the ability user from the Northwest Base. A strange feeling arose in their hearts.

They couldn't be mistaken about this powerful mental force; it was at least Level 7.

A Level 7 mental ability user…

Some licked their lips, looking at Lou Dian with a mixture of awe, curiosity, and an unspoken greed.

Lou Dian's expression was grave. Ignoring their gazes, he scanned the windows of the buildings ahead, carefully probing with his mental power.

In his previous life, before his rebirth, he had heard rumors about the strangeness of a National Security Bureau base. Many who accidentally strayed into this area had died, none surviving. At that time, several major bases had been discussing sending powerful ability users to investigate, and he had been one of them. Unfortunately, before he could agree, he had committed murder and ended his own life.

In this life, because of Feng Shaohuang's return, the secret of this place had been revealed earlier. It turned out that it had been occupied by zombies from the beginning, and a Zombie King had been born.

The fifty or so people silently infiltrated the base.

They found a building with the fewest zombies, killed them, and settled in.

Their next task was to locate the Zombie King. A tough battle lay ahead.

After a simple meal, Feng Shaohuang began making arrangements, discussing their next move and assigning patrol duties.

For some reason, Feng Shaohuang didn't assign any tasks to Lou Ling and the others, letting them rest on the first night. Lou Ling, Lou Dian, Lin Bao, and Tan Mo, who always stuck together, had no objections. They found two adjacent rooms and settled in.

“Feng Shao, you seem to be taking good care of the Lou family,” Liu Ji leaned close to Feng Shaohuang and asked curiously. “I don't like that meat-eating idiot. He smells bad. Why are you taking such good care of them?”

Feng Shaohuang glanced at him but didn't speak.

Li Chuan, noticing Feng Shaohuang's poor mood lately, quickly pulled the clueless young man away. “Curiosity killed the cat! Whether that kid smells bad or not, just pretend he doesn't exist. After this mission is over, we might have to cooperate again. Don't stir up trouble.”

Liu Ji wrinkled his nose and agreed on the surface, but what he truly thought remained unknown.

Author's Note:

Today's goals:

Lou Ling's goal: Conquer the Zombie King!

Lou Dian's goal: Protect his sister!

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